Bodkin / Patterns

Balloonhammer Caddis Barbless

Dry Fly · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

As tied by Fulling Mill Fly Fishing

Materials

  • Butt Tactical SF Dub, insect green
  • Thread (butt) Fluorescent chartreuse thread
  • Thread (body) Tan thread
  • Body Ultra Dry Dub, tan, ribbed with the thread tag end
  • Balloon Fulling Mill 2 mm yellow foam
  • Underwing Ultra Dry Yarn, tan
  • Wing Deer hair (coastal deer hair, short and fine)
  • Thorax Ultra Dry Dub, Pepperbox
  • Finish Super glue on the thread

How to tie it

  1. Tie a small butt at the rear: attach the fluorescent chartreuse thread, leaving the tag end long, and dub a tiny butt of insect-green Tactical SF Dub.
  2. Rib the butt forward with the thread tag end, whip finish, and change to tan thread.
  3. Leave a longish tag of thread, run the tan thread down, and dub the body with tan Ultra Dry Dub.
  4. Rib the body with the tag end of thread and remove the tag.
  5. Tie in the 2 mm yellow foam at the front by the eye and bind it down; this becomes the balloon.
  6. Fold half a strand of tan Ultra Dry Yarn around the thread, position it on top as the underwing and cut it at a slight angle.
  7. Take a small bunch of deer hair, remove the underfur, even the tips in a stacker, measure the length and cut the butts off before tying in.
  8. Tie the hair in with one tight turn and bind the butts down.
  9. Dub a chunky thorax of Pepperbox Ultra Dry Dub and pick it out a little.
  10. Pull the foam forward over the top, pinch it down to form the balloon, and clip the excess leaving a small stub.
  11. Put a touch of super glue on the thread, whip finish, and brush out the thorax fibres with Velcro.

Tying videos

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